Sep-18-2009 DCA & HMFA Hosts 2009 Governor's Conference on Housing and Community Development

ATLANTIC CITY – Governor Jon S. Corzine will welcome U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan to this year's 2009 Governor's Conference on Housing and Community Development Conference on Tuesday, September 22. Secretary Donovan will give the keynote speech during the two-day conference, which will focus on how attendees can overcome economic challenges and achieve success in "Preserving Communities, Providing Housing, and Promoting Opportunities." State housing professionals, government officials and community organizations will gather for the conference on September 22 and 23 at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

"The global recession has changed the housing landscape significantly since last year’s conference," said New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Acting Commissioner Charles A. Richman. "Yet, opportunities still abound to make a positive difference in our communities and in the future of housing in New Jersey. The DCA and New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency will spend the two-day conference conveying that message to attendees."

Participants will gain insight on such topics as affordable housing, public-private partnerships, green building, supportive housing, property management, project financing, lead abatement and historic preservation. They will have a chance to learn about state and federal programs designed to keep families in their homes, strategize on how to access tax credits available through federal economic recovery efforts, and identify ways to leverage funding for homelessness prevention, among a host of other workshops.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear remarks from Secretary Donovan, who was sworn in as the 15th United States Secretary for Housing and Urban Development on January 26, 2009. He has devoted his career to ensuring access to safe, decent, and affordable housing and continues that effort in President Obama's Administration. Secretary Donovan previously served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) where he created and implemented the New Housing Marketplace Plan to build and preserve 165,000 affordable homes, the largest municipal affordable housing plan in the nation's history. Prior to serving as HPD Commissioner, he worked in the private sector on financing affordable housing, and was a visiting scholar at New York University, where he researched and wrote about the preservation of federally-assisted housing.

Secretary Donovan rejoins HUD after his previous service in the Clinton administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing, where he was the primary federal official responsible for privately-owned multifamily housing. At that time, he ran housing programs that helped 1.7 million families access affordable housing. He also served as acting Federal Housing Administration Commissioner during the Clinton/Bush presidential transition.

"We thank Secretary Donovan and the more than 100 speakers from all areas of the housing industry who will share their expertise with participants and answer questions," said HMFA Executive Director Marge Della Vecchia. "This conference is also an occasion for attendees to network, exchange information and generate innovative ways to meet the housing needs of New Jersey residents."

Bus Tour of Atlantic City Main Street, Redevelopment Area and Jersey-Atlantic Wind Farm – 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.The tour will include Atlantic City’s Inlet neighborhood to review existing, ongoing and proposed housing and economic development projects undertaken by the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and the HMFA. It will also explore other city improvements including parks, road work and community facilities in and around the North Inlet, Gardner's Basin and Bungalow Park neighborhoods. The tour will conclude at the Jersey-Atlantic Wind Farm, which is located at the Atlantic County Utility Authority's Wastewater Treatment Plant in Atlantic City. The wind farm features five 380-foot-high wind turbines, which collectively generate enough energy to power approximately 2,500 homes.

Wednesday, September 23
Excellence in Housing Awards Luncheon – 12:30 p.m.The HMFA will honor eight organizations and two individuals for work that has demonstrated outstanding housing development in such areas as affordable housing, green/sustainable development, supportive housing and urban revitalization.

The annual Governor's Conference on Housing and Community Development is sponsored by the Department of Community Affairs and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, a DCA affiliate. For further information about the conference, please call (609) 278-7400, or log on to http://www.nj.gov/dca/hmfa/.